Koronavirus 2019-nCoV: Pytania i odpowiedzi

For questions specifically related to travel to Croatia not addressed by the Q&A please contact mintcz@mint.hr and Cc info@htz.hr. Additional information may be found here with additional information specific to travel Q&A available here*.

*Please note, all external links provided are not updated by the CNTB and the CNTB cannot be held accountable for their accuracy.

Below you can find the latest measures regarding travel to the Republic of Croatia.

Is it safe to travel to Croatia?

Croatia is open to tourists. The requirements may slightly differ depending on your country of origin, but EU/EEA Member States have the freedom to enter with a valid reservation, or if you are from one of 10 countries where restrictions have currently been lifted, border crossing is no longer subject to additional requirements.

More information is provided below.

Croatian Citizens
Croatian citizens are allowed to return to the Republic of Croatia and EU citizens are able to return to their countries of origin. Since May 10th Croatian citizens have been and continue to be allowed to enter Croatia and/or exit the country in compliance with measures outlined by the Civil Protection Directorate. When there are valid reasons to travel which include essential business travel, foreign citizens will also be able to enter the Republic of Croatia in compliance with the recommendations of the Croatia Institute of Public Health – more details below, along with foreign citizens who travel for urgent personal reasons.

The EnterCroatia online form allows visitors to enter all the necessary information to ease border crossing prior to traveling to Croatia.

For those entering Croatia from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Republic of Austria, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Poland, Republic of Slovenia, Federal Republic of Germany and Slovak Republic, the form is used to speed up border crossing, whereas other visitors entering the country in addition to filling out the form, still require one of the valid reasons listed below and must provide proof of reason for the visit (business, economic, touristic or personal reason). For a touristic visit, it is necessary to present the confirmation of accommodation booking in an accommodation establishment in Croatia (confirmation, voucher, camp lease contract, permanent berth contract etc.).

The online form includes all data normally requested in the process of crossing the border and with the simple presentation of a passport or identity document to a police officer at the border, the number or code from the identity card or passport is automatically linked to all pre-entered data. In this way, the time to complete the entire procedure of data entry at the border for each individual person in any given vehicle is reduced to a minimum and traffic flow is increased.

All visitors who fill out the online form will receive email instructions that will include epidemiological guidelines and information that are currently in place for visitors to Croatia.

At the moment the page is available in eight languages including English, Croatian, German, Slovenian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak and Czech, with additional languages to be added.

Please note that for organized travel via bus, the forms can be filled out in advance by the agency organizing the travel, whereas individuals traveling on regularly scheduled bus routes are required to complete the form individually.

The form is also available in a mobile-responsive format that may be accessed via the same link and completed on a mobile device. Should there be any issues or questions with regard to the form, please contact: entercroatia@mint.hr

Entry into the Republic of Croatia for foreign citizens:

I am a citizen of a Member State of the EU/EEA and I have booked tourist accommodation in the Republic of Croatia. What documents do I need to have to enter the Republic of Croatia?

It is necessary to present the confirmation of accommodation booking in an accommodation establishment.

The confirmation of accommodation booking in an accommodation establishment includes:

Confirmation of accommodation booking of all accommodation service providers / all types of accommodation

Camp lease contract

Permanent berth contract in a nautical tourism port

Confirmation of berth reservation in a nautical tourism port

Travel agency voucher etc.

Further information may be found here and additional Q&A here and additional announcements will be made available in accordance with any newly published Civil Protection Directorate decisions.

Croatia has a relatively low number of total Covid-19 cases and almost no new cases over the last few days and continues to ease restrictions within the country. Further relaxation of existing restrictions is expected during the upcoming weeks, as the Civil Protection Directorate has begun with reinstating services and reopening previously closed businesses on a rolling, weekly schedule.

On May 13th the European Commission announced plans to enable freedom of movement across borders where the epidemiological criteria are similar and citizens can safely cross borders, while continuing to respect health and safety protocols, as well as any social distancing measures in place. Further information on the EC guidelines and recommendations may be found here.

Effective May 28th, the Civil Protection Directorate passed an amendment regarding the temporary ban on crossing the border crossings of the Republic of Croatia.

This Decision specifies that the following Member States of the European Union (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Republic of Austria, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Poland, Republic of Slovenia, Federal Republic of Germany and Slovak Republic) will not be restricted to any of the above categories of entry, but will be able to enter under the same conditions as before the outbreak of COVID-19, but will still be subject to epidemiological control, and with the obligation to comply with general and special recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

When citizens of the above Member States enter the Republic of Croatia, their entry will be recorded with the collection of additional data (place of destination, mobile phone number and e-mail address), due to the possible need for contact for epidemiological reasons.

Citizens from other EU countries may still enter Croatia, but will still have to prove their reason for entering the country (business, economic, touristic or personal reason). For a touristic visit, it is necessary to present the confirmation of accommodation booking in an accommodation establishment in Croatia (confirmation, voucher, camp lease contract, permanent berth contract etc.). Additional information about border crossing can be found here.

For other foreign nationals who intend to cross the state the border, they must meet one of the following conditions:

Possesses documentation proving the ownership of real estate located in the Republic of Croatia or a marine vessel (boat, yacht, etc) - (may also be the holder of a lease), or is travelling to attend a funeral in the Republic of Croatia (and possesses appropriate documentation proving this). If any of these conditions are met, these foreign citizens are allowed to cross the state border, are registered and the place / address where they will stay or where the property / vessel is located will be recorded, along with the contact phone number and time of stay – including the date they plan to leave the Republic of Croatia.

They have documentation proving the invitation by a business registered in the Republic of Croatia, the reason the business requires their visit to the Republic of Croatia, or an invitation to a business meeting. For these passengers crossing the border, it is necessary to enter the place / address where they will stay and the contact phone number and the duration of the stay – including the date they plan to leave the Republic of Croatia.

All other foreign citizens who have a business reason, which cannot be foreseen at this time, and do not have the appropriate documentation, are instructed to send their intention to cross the state border (entry into the Republic of Croatia) to uzg.covid@mup.hr and their request will be addressed in the shortest possible timeframe. In addition an online form in lieu of email and Q&A related to this and the above is available here.

Overall safety and hygiene measures, as well as social distancing are to be respected as required: The latest Covid-19 information and accompanying measures may be found here: https://www.koronavirus.hr/en and additional visitor information may be found here.

Are the borders open?

Currently, as mentioned above, borders are open in line with the above-mentioned requirements.

Any travellers or citizens that are allowed entry or return to Croatia at this time are required to adhere to the recommendations of the Croatia Institute of Public Health. With the number of active Covid-19 cases at a minimum, new measures are taken frequently and we expect further changes to border openings and protocols over the upcoming weeks. Prior to making plans, please contact your local consulate or embassy for the latest travel information and consult your home country’s travel advisories for exit and re-entry requirements, to ensure that your travel falls within current guidelines.

Is proof of a negative Covid test required for entry?
No, Croatia does not require Covid testing, nor proof of a negative test to enter.

Are there flights to Croatia?

Flights to Croatia are increasing as we enter the month of June. Croatia Airlines maintains flights from Zagreb to and/from Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Copenhagen, while new flights to/from Zurich will commence June 8th, while Brussels, Munich, London, Sarajevo, Split-Rome, Dublin and Vienna have been announced for mid-June. For more information on Croatia Airlines flights, please check their website.

Over the upcoming weeks, many other commercial airlines have updated flight schedules now available on their websites to various Croatian airports for June and/or July start dates (depending on the airline). With the first international flights to Split having landed last week from Germany. If you already have tickets for upcoming travel and/or have a question regarding travel with a specific airline, it is best to contact the airline directly as most are updating their flight schedules on a week by week basis. Should you be unable to use your current flight ticket we recommend postponing your travel to a later date.

*the above list is not exhaustive and may be added to or removed from as information becomes available; some of the aforementioned airlines may not have announced exact flight dates and it is best to check directly with the airline for flight schedules, whereas others may or may not have announced the resumption of flights to Croatia.

Are there any domestic flights operating within Croatia?

Domestic flights have now resumed and currently include return flights between Zagreb and Split, as well as Zagreb and Dubrovnik. Flights from Zagreb to Pula and Zadar are scheduled to resume from June 8th. These flights are operated by Croatia Airlines and more information may be found here.

Are hotels currently operation in Croatia and if not, when are hotels, camps, private accommodation and other expected to reopen?

A large number of hotels, camps, private accommodation and other accommodation facilities have resumed operations in Croatia, with many more planning to reopen during the upcoming weeks. Please check with the hotel, camp or accommodation provider directly for details on timing. Please note, all accommodation facilities are required to prescribe to the recommended health and safety procedures that may be found here.

Are restaurants open?

Since May 11th, restaurants and cafes have been allowed to operate, as well as provide outdoor seating and service, they have implemented prescribed health and safety measures.

Are beaches, parks and outdoor recreational facilities open?

As measures begin to ease, public outdoor spaces have slowly reopened for public use including parks and public recreational facilities (including pools, aquaparks and thermal spas), however health and safety measures, as well as social distancing guidance still applies. We expect all beaches to be operational for public use, again keeping in mind that health and safety, as well as any social distancing measures in effect at the time will apply. The Zagreb Zoo reopened to the public and National Parks and Nature Parks reopened May 11th, provided they implemented and adhere to the prescribed and applicable health and safety measures.

Are events and public gatherings allowed?

Effective May 27th the 40-person limit on events and public gatherings has been lifted. All events and public gatherings are now subject to the guidelines and recommendations outlined by the Croatian Institute of Public Health. Further details will be made available on the CIPH website in due course. More information can be found here (currently available in Croatian only).

Are private boats allowed to enter Croatian waters and or mooring in Croatia? What is the situation with nautical tourism?

The Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure has issued new guidelines regarding entry into Croatian waters for boat owners, but also for those chartering vessels in Croatia.

As we approach the main summer months, further relaxation of measures is expected. Nautical tourism is highly popular in Croatia and we are ensuring that each new measure aids in returning nautical tourists to our country, however, there is an overall clear emphasis on health and safety.

Is there public transportation available within Croatia? Within and/or to and from various cities and regions. What about international train and bus service?

Since May 11th travel within Croatia is no longer restricted and as such the reinstatement of various bus routes between cities and regions in Croatia has taken effect. For schedules and information on reinstated routes it is best to check with the local bus stations. Contact information for major stations may be found here.

Croatian domestic rail service is also available on certain routes and timetables and availability may be found here.

Meanwhile, organized international bus service (charter and regular bus lines), as well as rail service, are expected to resume as border restrictions continue to ease. For ease of travel please see the EnterCroatia information and ensure you or the agency you are travelling with has filled out your details in advance to ensure a quick and efficient border crossing.

Is there passenger traffic and/or public ferry transport available to and from the Croatian islands?

Travel to and from all Croatian islands is now possible from the mainland and between islands where such a service exists.

*As with airlines, this list may not be exhaustive and the timetables and start of service is dependent upon the individual company. Please check directly with the service provider in order to ensure accuracy, as timetables and service may change at any time. **This service is currently not operational, please check company updates directly for new information.

Additional Information

Various recommendations and guidelines for the tourism sector may be found here or via the Croatian Institute of Public Health here.

Transiting through Croatia

If you are travelling through Croatia to another country, please note that there are specific guidelines in place regarding this. Travel is limited to the main highways and stops are limited. All transiting passengers are instructed to follow the guidance provided by the border control officers. A map of approved roadways may be found here (currently only in Croatian).

What in case I get infected by Covid-19?

In case you identify any symptoms that are similar to the mild flu-like symptoms, such as: fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain and fatigue, or you had a close contact with a confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus infection, immediately call your doctor or epidemiological service. Describe your symptoms and follow their advice. We suggest calling by phone before going to the doctor's office.